Cancer Researchers Are On The Verge Of Human Trials With Cannabis

The concept of cannabis curing cancer may be hard to imagine, but evidence from cell cultures and animal studies has already proven the possibility. Now researchers say they’re ready to move to the clinical stage.

Dr. Sean McAllister, of the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC), has spent nearly a decade studying the effects of cannabidiol – a chemical found in marijuana – on aggressive types of breast and brain cancer.

His research has already shown that cannabidiol (CBD) can reduce the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. Although, so far, he’s only been able to study animal and cell culture models. Now he says his team is ready to prove it in humans.

“We are trying to initiate clinical trials in the US. We have designed the trials for breast and brain cancer but are still trying to raise the money for the trials.”

Since last year, Dr. McAllister has been going through the difficult and lengthy process of initiating clinical trials. With study designs complete, funding seems to be the only obstacle that remains.

If all goes as planned, he hopes to see CBD being trialed in cancer patients “a year from now.”

But it’s not only Dr. McAllister that sees promise in cannabis for cancer. A drug company called GW Pharmaceuticals is also trying to study a cannabis-based drug, Sativex, as an add-on treatment for glioblastoma – the most common and deadly form of brain cancer.

The company has already begun recruiting patients for the first phase of clinical trials in Europe. Researchers will first have to prove its safety in a small group of glioblastoma patients before they can start evaluating Sativex’s effectiveness at fighting cancer.

According to Dr. McAllister, preclinical research suggests that cannabinoids, while effective alone, may have a greater effect against cancer when combined with current treatments.

“Based on the data, it would be expected that cannabinoids would need to be combined with a first-line agent in order to see the most efficacy in a clinical setting.”

Dr. McAllister’s breakthrough came in 2007, when his team at CPMC showed that cannabidiol could reduce tumor aggressiveness in breast cancer by “turning off” a protein responsible for the spread of cancer, or metastasis, called Id-1.

Four years later, they were able to confirm the effect in mice, showing that CBD treatment could reduce the number and size of secondary tumors that formed.

Another of his studies, this time in glioblastoma cell cultures, found that CBD and THC could work together to achieve an even greater effect, concluding that “the addition of cannabidiol to Delta(9)-THC may improve the overall effectiveness of Delta(9)-THC in the treatment of glioblastoma in cancer patients.”

“You have to build a strong case for clinicians to agree to run clinical trials. We are there now.”While THC also demonstrates anti-cancer potential, Dr. McAllister explains that one of the reasons he chose to study CBD is the lack of psychoactivity – or a high – which could be a concern when conducting studies in humans.

Another obstacle has been gathering enough evidence on the treatment. Despite an abundance of anecdotal reports of cannabis successfully curing cancer, it’s taken Dr. McAllister years of effort to “build a strong case” for clinical trials.

But now he says the time has come.

“It takes a significant amount of time to run preclinical experiments,” Dr. McAllister explains. “You have to build a strong case for clinicians to agree to run clinical trials. We are there now.”

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38 Comments

“While THC also demonstrates anti-cancer potential, Dr. McAllister explains that one of the reasons he chose to study CBD is the lack of psychoactivity – or a high – which could be a concern when conducting studies in humans.”

Can’t have cancer patients experiencing euphoria now can we? How is it that we have hundreds of prescription drugs on the market that alter mood, including families of drugs like opiates and benzodiazepenes — as well as specific prescription marketed for the expressed purpose of altering mood (SSRIs) — yet somehow this same effect in the context of cannabis is seen as an adverse side effect?!

as a recreational smoker, I understand why the team is focusing more clinical study towards CBD.

Those things you mentioned are side effects and they are not the main concern, here. There is a double standard in what you were saying, I agree. but it’s not the point when it comes to cancer patients. Hearing my girlfriend vomit every morning during chemo puts things in perspective for me.

The high is great, but there’s more important information to be gathered, here. People like you and I will always be in the clouds if we want. There are needs, though. If THC isn’t the main component in healing, it deserves less study independently.

Entirely possible. I’m using lab research, and reading the spread for THCA conversion as 108C – 190C. So perhaps yes you are, but you may be cooking up most of it. Smoking a joint is the opposite situation where it is inefficient. Also possible the plant material resistance to the heated air cools it some? Not sure. I’m just throwing things out there that don’t add up. Have you ever calibrated your vape?

Well, the vape LCD reads 200C. But there could be a loss of a few degrees or so between the element and when the heated air passes through the bowl with the weed. But I am pretty sure it doesn’t go as low as 190C. The element is max half an inch away from the weed and the pathway between the two is sealed. How does one calibrate a vape?

I agree, as a recreational smoker, I love the high, but I think it is important to test CBD alone, at least first, in order to accurately measure it’s effectiveness. After, if it begins to be distributed, I think it could have varying strengths of highs, as other medications do, because Paul is right, it should have a pain relieving effect, as well! Happy and healthy thoughts to you and your girlfriend :)

My exact thoughts Paul A. Euphoria would be a beneficial effect compared to the nausea and general malaise that conventional chemo & radiation produce. What is wrong with society? Oh that’s right, they may turn into rabid child molesters or serial killers from the reefer madness it also induces.

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Thank you. Trials for what? To determine the proper daily dosage to avoid Cannabinoid Deficiency Disease? Why not just spliff 24/7 and never be deficient? The human body is amazing it will take care of the excess cannabinoids by getting you really, really high if there are any surplus, then in a self-regulating manner it will return to perfect balance.

Just me PLEASE go to YouTube and search Rick Simpson oil. He has cured terminal lung cancer patients with cannabis oil. No chemo, no radiation, no side effects. If you have to get somebody to get you the pot then do it. It’s easy to make and can cure you in a couple months. The beauty of it is it stops cancer growth immediately then kills it.

There is a medication approved for late-stage prostate cancer now, Abiraterone. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1209096. It was developed by UK Prof Gerry Potter, who also developed Salvestrol, a supplement said to be effective against tumors. This is not to say that cannabis may not also be effective.

CBD is also found in hemp without THC. CBD when from hemp is perfectly legal in all 50 states and 40 countries. You can receive standardized quality (won a recent cannabis cup) CBD products from http://www.hempmedspx.com Their parent company Medical Marijuana Inc (MJNA) is traded on the stock exchange. :) We love their products! THC certainly has medical utility but as many have read so does CBD and without the psychoactivity! CBD is a great product to add to a healthy lifestyle; it’s about getting healthy not just high! :)

SPAM. This comment is total BS. Click on his name, “Joshua Blaugh,” and you will see that he has been promoting the same company over and over. It is sad but I have seen probably ten or more fake commentors just like “Joshua”….

Hempmedspx is a shill of a company- fake fake fake.

Like everyone is saying- grow your own and check out Rick Simpson in order to find out how to make your own oil!

The bIg Pharmas should know the real fact of this plant’s medical potent-cure cancers. Still, they are not making the REAL medicine out of Cannabis Hemp, because their goal is not curing cancers. They are making water-downed medicine like Sativax which only alleviating some symptoms. The reason they are doing this is MONEY.

I am here to share my experience with Dr Raymond Wallace cannabis oil to you all,i was diagnosed with breast Cancer for close to 2 years i have been in struggling to get a permanent cure but could not get any,i have use some one’s cannabis oil but it did not work.It was faithful day i was in the hospital to do my normal check up then on my way home i was on a discussion with a friend i met on the walk way she then ask me how was my family and what brought me to the hospital i then told her every thing with tears on my eyes and she was touched and she told me she could be of help to me that there is this Doctor that has a very good and active cannabis that has the power to cure every cancer,she then further told me that she had cancer on her leg some times ago that it was Dr Raymond cannabis oil that brought her back to life and she don’t feel any pain again,she gave me Dr Raymond Wallace contact(dr.raymondcannabisoil@hotmail.com) i contacted him and after some little stress it was was delivered to me in my country USA in less than five days.To cut my story short i applied it as he explained and glory be to God today i am completely healed by Dr Raymond cannabis oil and i am glad to let the whole world know this good man and contact him for help through his email(dr.raymondcannabisoil@hotmail.com)

McAllister is busy messing things up. You cannot isolate one particular cannabinoid to test the effectiveness of cannabis as a cure for cancer. Rick Simpson oil which has proven so effective is 97% THC. If he had done his research properly, he would know that the body builds a tolerance to the psychoactivity – any stoner could tell you that. Even kids can take 1000-2000mg of THC per diem without batting an eyelid. Test the whole plant!! Stop breaking it down and compromising its effectiveness. I wonder who is funding this research? – smells like a pharmaceutical cartel to me.

Agreed. Also, as any cancer doctor knows, one of the problems with chemo is that cancers will develop resistance to a single drug. Since cannabis naturally contains a large number of cannabinoids which may be effective, it gets around this problem and provides the possibility of completely clearing cancer from the body (which chemotherapy rarely does).

If humans refuse to participate with pharma, they won’t be able to get their drugs approved.

BOYCOTT PHARMA CANNABIS TRIALS. This is the way to shut them out.

If they can’t complete Clinical Trials they can’t bring products to market.

Meanwhile the grow your own movement does a power grow for 90 days.

Done. Over.Poof. Gone. Out of their control.

They no longer have ANY say or control over it. When they come to take your plants. Punch them in the face, and tell them to FUCK OFF. Go chomp on some more pills and swill it down with booze. Narcissistic Psychopathic Sociopath addicts that they are.